The Sunfoil Series clash between the Buildnat Cape Cobras and the VKB Knights, the team at the summit of the four-day showpiece this season, starting at Boland Park on Thursday shapes as one of the most important matches for the hosts in the past three seasons, said Dane Piedt, the captain of the Cobras.

And there is nothing theatrical about the above-mentioned statement by the skipper.

“I told Ashwell Prince (the coach) before the start of the second half of the four-day series that if we win four out of the five matches, we can clinch the four-day title.

“And I still believe it,” he adds.

“The team is super motivated and we cannot wait to get started.

“The factors that could determine the outcome is that we should establish a 150-run partnership and two fifty-run partnerships to power the team to a big first innings total,” he said.

Piedt says one of the factors that have assisted the Cobras in becoming a title contender, is the support bowling.

“Jason Smith is very under estimated as a bowler. He bowls at 120 km/h, but he nips it around, swings it and his economy rate is between one and two an over.

“He helps to control the run rate.

“Tshepo Moreki has come on in leaps and bounds as a seam bowler. We have given every bowler a role and they have stuck to their guns,” Piedt said.

The role of Piedt will be important in the game. He captured 5-16 in the 2013/2014-season, including a hat-trick, at Boland Park and ended with 45 wickets in that season in eight matches.

If Piedt can return to his best, and Dane Paterson can strike repeatedly for the Cobras, the VKB Knights will be under pressure.

“One of the assets of the team has been that every bowler has contributed beautifully the past month without there being a standout bolwer, except in the case of Rory Kleinveldt against the Multiply Titans,” added Piedt.

The table-topping visitors boast several top class batsmen, including Theunis de Bruyn, who struck a double century on debut for South Africa A at Paarl.

He will be one of the primary targets of the Cobras in their quest to win their penultimate game of the Sunfoil Series season.

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adminhttps://capecobras.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/World-Sports-Betting-Cape-Cobras-horizontal-2017.pngadmin2017-02-01 18:14:322019-01-28 14:53:45Piedt: Partnerships, support bowling can propel us to the title